DEFINITION: drug use

	DEFINITION & TERMINOLOGY
drug use
related: chemical substance use substance use not to be confused with: drug misuse drug abuse drug use is the proper administration of any chemical substance such that it produces an effect with a desirable outcome. Measuring dosage and knowing the predictable result distinguishes use from abuse.	Drug Use always involves a predictable (favorable) outcome for the drug user with only few exceptions. However, it should be known by the drug user that any substance which crosses the blood-brain barrier typically produces one reaction initially and then later an opposite and usually unfavorable reaction. This is because today's psycho-stimulants drive neurotransmitters at a rapid rate and causes them to become depleted. Because there is no long-term benefit, this short-term effect is how we can distinguish a recreational drug from a medical drug. However, recreational drug use still applies to a medical problem.
drug use is positively normal human behavior. Anyone in the 21st century who thinks that it's not, is most likely a victim of anti-drug disorder (ADD2). We live and breathe chemicals and there is no reason why we should not use any drug that might help us cope with the pressures of the modern world. Drug use is part of life in the ElectroChemical Age. Unfortunately, government and society have been plagued by fears that can best be described as irrational and dangerous. These same fears manifested themselves in "witch hunts" earlier in history. The best example we have is the 1692 executions of 20 innocent victims who were determined to be witches. typically a teaching or instructional deficiency; it has been known to occur prior to the war on drugs, but today, it occurs because the WOD doesn't allow for latitude when using drugs. The most common way that drugs are abused is by overdosing. When someone first learns to use recreational drugs, the lack of any formal education prompts them to abuse drugs, particularly those who are not used to drugs. The incidence of drug abuse dropped temporarily in the US at the close of the 20th century, leading the US government to speculate that the WOD was working to produce less users. The reason for the sudden decline was found to be that people were becoming better educated.	PATIENT (SELF) In the 21st century, the needs of patients from the lower and middle socioeconomic classes are not adequately met by healthcare providers in the US. For a patient to become skilled in using drugs, they must either rely on meeting "skilled" drug dealers who have a background and ability to teach dosing and provide other useful information, or the patient must have had medical training or a chronic childhood disease, requiring the administration of medication. Research has shown that young adults with chronic childhood disorders tend to be frugal in terms of illicit drug abuse. The theory is that the morbidity and mortality rate due to drug overdose of those with chronic childhood disorders is significantly lower than those patients that grew up "normal."
	PARENT OR GUARDIAN In the US, there are no customs in which parents teach their children about drugs or sex. Within the Puritanical framework, parents traditionally do not discuss such matters, leaving that responsibility to educational institutions that perform this task very poorly. In 2005, approximately 60 17-year-olds who tested HIV+ were asked to define the one point of failure that led to their HIV diagnosis. 20% blamed their lack of parental guidance; 25% blamed their education; 10% gave ambiguous answers and 45% said that a challenging media of anti-drug commercials fueled their interest.
	PHYSICIANS There are few physicians who are willing to talk to patients about illicit drug use. In California, it appears that this is the role of health educators.